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Bambi rolls her eyes. “What if she’s into women? Then he won’t have to worry.”
“Oh,he’llworry either way. It’s the nunnery for eternity for that little hellion.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s called an ‘abbey.’ And Demyen’s notthatoverprotective.”
We both look at her.
She concedes with a slow nod and a sip of her cocktail. “Okay, fine, you might be right. I’m just hoping we have a few years before we’ll need to stage an intervention.”
I’m glad Bambi had a spare pair of sunglasses on hand because I’d go blind from staring at the lake otherwise. I’m so worried that something’s going to happen to my baby girl, or Demyen, like them flipping the jet ski or slamming into a hidden sandbar or?—
“You’re doing that thing again. Exhale. C’mon, breathe with me. In, out.”
I laugh and cringe at the same time. “Shut up. I can’t help it if I’m worried.”
Pavel snorts. “That’s so cute. And sweet. The cop’s daughter worried about her mobster boyfriend.”
“I’m more worried about my five-year-old out there zipping carefree across the deep water on top of that mobile death machine.” I tuck my feet under my knees and try to hug them to my chest. It’s becoming increasingly difficult these days to do it comfortably. “But also, yes. Iamworried about my mobster boyfriend.”
Bambi grins at me. “I love it. I love seeing you guys together. I love even more knowing how much it must drive your father insane knowing you’re boinking his sworn enemyanda criminal overlord.”
I’m so glad I’m not actually drinking anything because I’d snort it up my nose at the choice phrase “boinking.” “Yeah, well… Go big or go home, as they say.”
“Cheers to that!”
The two clink glasses around me, then hum their respective delights over the boozy concoctions I’m suddenly jealous of.
Before I can get too envious, Demyen and Willow pull into the dock and hop onto the platform.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Willow runs down the dock to where we’re lounging on the cabin patio. “Daddy let me drive! Did you see? Did you see me?”
I’m stunned.
Speechless.
So is literally everyone else.
Daddy.That’s what she said.
Willow is completely oblivious to the fact that my heart has officially stopped inside my chest. I blink and give myself a small shake so I can at least pretend like she hasn’t just completely flipped my world upside down.
“Yeah, baby girl! Look at you! So… so daring! So dangerous!”
“It’s okay.” Willow proudly takes Demyen’s hand and swings it by his side. “Daddy said he’d make sure we were safe. Didn’t you, Daddy?”
Demyen’s recovery time is way better than mine. He blinks away the shock on his own face and beams down at her. “That I did, little cub. Did you have fun?”
“So much fun! Let’s do it again!”
He chuckles and winks at me. His other hand, however, has a slight tremble. “We will. But first, I think it’s nap time. How about we?—”
“Okay!” Willow spins around and skips off into the cabin, not even waiting for his attempt to negotiate what I usually have to wrestle her over.
Demyen just stands there. Staring at the door. Then he slowly turns to look at me.
I can’t breathe. Or think.
I just… I mean…
